Legislature(2011 - 2012)BARNES 124
02/08/2012 09:00 AM House EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Superintendent Presentation: Alaska Gateway School District | |
| Board of Regents - University of Alaska | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
JOINT MEETING
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
February 8, 2012
9:12 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Alan Dick, Chair
Representative Lance Pruitt, Vice Chair
Representative Eric Feige
Representative Paul Seaton
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative Sharon Cissna
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Scott Kawasaki
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: BOARD OF REGENTS - UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
- HEARD
SUPERINTENDENT PRESENTATION: ALASKA GATEWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
TODD POAGE, Superintendent
Alaska Gateway School District
Tok, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided a school-produced video
presentation of the Alaskan Gateway School District.
DIANE HIRSHBERG, Associate Professor of Education Policy
Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER)
Board of Regents
University of Alaska (UA)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to questions, during the
discussion with the UA Board of Regents.
RICHARD CAULFIELD, Provost and Executive Dean
Career Education,
University of Alaska Southeast (UAS)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to questions, during the
discussion with the UA Board of Regents.
DEBORAH LO, Dean
School of Education
University of Alaska Southeast (UAS)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to questions, during the
discussion with the UA Board of Regents.
MICHAEL POWERS, Chair
Academic & Student Affairs Committee
Board of Regents
University of Alaska (UA)
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to questions, during the
discussion with the UA Board of Regents.
PAT GAMBLE, President
Statewide Programs & Services
University of Alaska (UA)
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Responded to questions, during the
discussion with the UA Board of Regents.
ACTION NARRATIVE
9:12:13 AM
CHAIR ALAN DICK called the House Education Standing Committee to
order at 9:12 a.m. Representatives Dick, Feige, P. Wilson,
Pruitt, Seaton, and Cissna were present at the call to order.
^Superintendent Presentation: Alaska Gateway School District
Superintendent Presentation: Alaska Gateway School District
CHAIR DICK announced that the next order of business would be a
presentation from the Alaska Gateway School District.
The committee took an at-ease from 9:12 a.m. to 9:13 a.m.
9:13:19 AM
TODD POAGE, Superintendent, Alaska Gateway School District,
introduced a school produced video, named the grants that
provided funding, and made three guarantees: no awards will be
won by the film; everyone involved now knows more about iFilm
than they did prior to the production; and, he assured, it is
more interesting than the power point that he could have
presented. He then began the 10 minute video.
9:25:31 AM
CHAIR DICK commented that it was a fine presentation, and
encouraged other superintendent's to follow suit.
9:25:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON asked about road expansion in the area.
MR. POAGE responded that every school is now on the road system,
but the road to Eagle is closed during the winter months. He
said some teachers live in Tok but commute daily over the rough
and difficult 30 mile road to Teslin.
^Board of Regents - University of Alaska
Board of Regents - University of Alaska
CHAIR DICK announced that the final order of business would be a
continuation of the discussion regarding the presentation from
the Board of Regents of the University of Alaska.
9:28:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON referred to the committee handout titled
"University of Alaska" dated February 8, 2012, page 3, noted
that there are only 200 participants in the five year program,
and asked if the number reflects the interest level, or are
there limitations due to the course offerings.
9:29:32 AM
DIANE HIRSHBERG, Associate Professor of Education Policy,
Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), Board of
Regents, University of Alaska (UA), explained that the statistic
reflects the interested applicants.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON inquired whether it was due to classes not
being offered, or overfilled.
MS. HIRSHBERG replied no, but passing the teaching practices
requirement may present a barrier. She elaborated that it is
difficult to know if the requirement is a barrier, as some
students take the Teaching Practices I, prior to submitting a
formal application for the program.
9:31:27 AM
CHAIR DICK interjected that changes have occurred in the
university system, including availability of on-line courses and
stressed the importance of keeping the legislature informed of
the changing landscape. The efforts of the legislature to take
appropriate action intended to help support students endeavoring
to attend university relies on current information in order, he
said, "to send kids to where you're [UA] going, and not where
you were."
9:32:55 AM
RICHARD CAULFIELD, Provost & Executive Dean, Career Education,
University of Alaska Southeast (UAS), said the statistics
requested by the committee, regarding the persistence of
students in the programs can be provided. One program area that
has reached capacity is special education. He pointed out that
the SB 241 report indicates how the funding in recent years
resulted in significant increases in the number of graduates
from the special education program. Current to this
legislature, is a request from UAS for funding which establishes
a position for an elementary education faculty member with a
focus on literacy.
9:33:59 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON noted that there is a constraint on
teachers entering the elementary education program, at the UAS
campus, and asked if that the requested literacy position would
help to alleviate the bottleneck.
MR. CAUFIELD replied yes.
9:34:22 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON commented that many of today's
questions are similar to the questions that have been asked
every year, during her 12-year tenure in the legislature. One
question that she has carried, which has a response pending, is
whether teacher training courses are taught using the same
principles that were instituted 20 years ago, or have new
research discoveries been integrated. The recent
social/emotional and developmental information, and teaching
techniques derived from the related research, would be important
for teacher trainees to be abreast, as part of their syllabus,
she opined, and reminded the regents that Alaska leads the
nation in suicide and other social ills.
MR. CAUFIELD deferred.
9:37:44 AM
DEBORAH LO, Dean, School of Education, University of Alaska
Southeast (UAS), said absolutely. The faculty is provided
opportunities to attend training sessions, as well as monitor
other venues to stay abreast of the latest information and
techniques, which can then be incorporated into the teacher
training classes. The university has alignment grids with the
national and state standards, which are reviewed on an ongoing
basis. She assured that the class syllabi are based on current
techniques and developments occurring in the field of teaching.
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON suggested that the annual regents
report include follow-up responses to questions that were asked
the previous year; such as what information is brought to
teacher in-services, and other on-going educational
opportunities for the state educators.
MS. LO said that the cycle of research is also being
implemented, which helps teachers self-assess and improve, to
wit: problem solve, consider a solution, implement, reflect,
review data, repeat, and make determinations on the outcomes.
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON queried whether the special education,
mathematics, and science teacher training classes are full, and
if not, why staff would be needed for the elementary teacher
training program, which would only add to the plethora of class
teachers.
MS. LO responded that it is framed as an elementary position;
however, it is actually a literacy specialist who will reach
across the content areas. Currently there is not a dedicated
literacy staff person. She said that there is a reading faculty
but that person primarily does graduate work. It is important
to have someone with training and background in literacy, as
reading is 75 percent of the game.
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON stressed the importance of having the
teacher training program completed in a concise four years. She
said that it has been reported that required classes are not
always offered, hence the need to continue for another year or
two, in order to complete a degree.
MS. LO ascertained that the current special education program is
a 120 hour course; an absolute four year program.
9:44:03 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON recalled that the Higher Education Task
Force, as well as this committee, identified that one of the
most effective tools for helping students complete a program of
study was to have individualized advisor advocates. One of the
requirements for an institution accepting the Alaska Performance
Scholarship (APS) is that an advisor advocate be provided for
every student. He asked whether the university affords this
type of assistance to navigate the system and provide support to
complete a course of study, and stressed the need to have this
help available, and integrated, in every branch of the teacher
certification programs.
MR. CAUFIELD responded that every campus has mandatory, or
intrusive, counseling.
9:46:18 AM
CHAIR DICK research continues to be lacking around what works
best for Native Alaskan students, as statistics are based on
studies from the Lower 48. There are six focus points for ISER,
and he asked for them to be reiterated. Further, he recalled
that a telephone conference recently considered changing the
paradigm, which stirred interest at the time.
MICHAEL POWERS, Chair, Academic & Student Affairs Committee
Board of Regents, University of Alaska (UA), directed attention
to the committee handout, page 19, and paraphrased from the
report, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
The CAEPR Advisory Board met in October 2011, and set
the following priorities for research in the coming
year. The board determined that CAEPR should identify
successful models and identify why they are successful
and how they can be implemented accordingly:
Identify successful learning readiness models, explore
why they are successful and what might be implemented
accordingly
Explore models for systemic change in education, in
order to better serve all students, especially
culturally and socially unique students who are at
risk
Identify successful models for preparing Alaska Native
teachers, administrator and superintendents, explore
why they are successful and what might be implemented
accordingly
Identify successful educator and administrator
retention models, explore why they are successful and
what might be implemented accordingly
Identify indigenous language models that lead to
successful learning
9:49:07 AM
CHAIR DICK asked for elaboration on the audio conference, which
he previously mentioned, and the possibility of shifting the
paradigm.
MS. HIRSHBERG recalled the audio conference and indicated that
it was what spawned the objectives for CAEPR, as read by Regent
Powers. Originally discussion formed around ways to identify at
risk students and provide them better service. The idea was to
identify methods entirely different from the status quo; however
acting on the information is a struggle. Currently a number of
people are interested in engaging in the effort, and some may be
able to work with Education Northwest, which has a regional
education laboratory. Additionally, the Alaska Statewide Policy
Research Alliance, will partner with EED, CAEPR, and
legislators, to ascertain the ways and means to facilitate a
systemic change. A sub-group has been formed to address the
multi-faceted question and to study how other indigenous
students have been met, on a global scale, including those of
Hawaii, Greenland, and New Zealand. Other questions remain
regarding the challenges of bringing new ideas into the existing
educational structure.
9:51:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked whether the proposed educational
policy research will be focused on K-12 or university level
students.
MS. HIRSHBERG said that the advisory board has posed a number of
broad questions, but specific funding does not exist to support
the effort. A validity study is being launched statewide to
assess the new core standards and determine whether a student
who completes the standards can actually be deemed college and
career ready. She named several other endeavors that ISER is
undertaking, and said funding is being sought in order to hire
more people to help with these studies. Finally, collaborating
across the three UA campuses, and with other organizations is
also important, in order to embrace expertise that exists
outside of the ISER center in Fairbanks.
9:54:25 AM
PAT GAMBLE, President, Statewide Programs & Services, University
of Alaska (UA), said progress may be slow, and it may seem at
times as though the tires are bogged down, spinning in the mud
and prohibiting forward motion, but he assured, there is a lot
of energy in the motor trying to move through the transmission
and turn the wheels to make incremental progress. A systemic
issue exists, which makes ISER valuable. However, in the FY 13
budget, all funding for ISER was unfortunately zeroed out, as
were all the funds indicated for advising. He said the
intention was to begin a system wide advisory program, as
identified and requested from the task force, but without
funding 35,000 students will not receive the planned support. A
data base needs to be constructed on each of these students to
answer a myriad of individual questions. Additionally, needed
assistance for devising a pathway through the university matrix,
which every student is faced with in order to graduate in a four
year period, will be minimally met. The road to graduation is a
minefield full of administrative and bureaucratic obstacles. It
is well known that transferring credits can be a problem, and
the university has undertaken a Strategic Direction Initiative
(SDI) to discover what is actually occurring versus what the
administration expects is happening; a shift of focus from input
to output measurements. The budget has flattened, in the last
couple of years, and what is left must be applied to the
absolute necessities. One of these critical areas is SDI
advising for students, particularly in the first two years of
study. The advising thrust is to assist students to a timely
graduation, via the SDI approach and the academic advising what
is in place. The SDI advisors will understand the labor needs
of the state, in order to appropriately direct students to study
majors that are in demand in the job market. He pointed out
that the base pay for a teacher is an issue and represents a
disincentive for anyone considering the vocation as it is not
competitive with other professions. Mr. Gamble reported that
some universities in the Lower 48 have had major budget cuts in
the past few years. The survival mode has caused many to take a
number of innovative steps and approaches that UA has only had
to consider. The data is being monitored to grasp how well
these ideas are serving the campuses involved, which will
provide valuable information for the administrators. Advising
is clearly emerging as one of the pre-eminent initiatives,
especially with the variety of study choices now available;
students require advice to identify appropriate approaches.
Other critical action includes e-learning options and combining
e-learning in the regular classroom. The SDI is designed to
compile information from sources such as informative
publications, staff and faculty input from out-reach meetings,
and student comments, as well as to consider what the hassle
factor is for a student in the system to remove hurdles for
students. Administrators are reviewing the impact and effect of
the three year window from senior high school through the first
two years of college. Motivation and assistance in the senior
year of high school is a critical point to cultivate interest
and support in order for a student to successfully transition
into college. He agreed that the key for Native Alaskan
students, particularly in Bush areas, is a relevant curriculum.
Reports indicate that these students appear to lose interest at
about the eighth grade, and he opined that the standard,
traditionally taught curriculum, is not appropriate to keep
these students stimulated and learning. Incorporating the math,
physics, and science of familiar bird flight patterns or boats
on the myriad of river systems, could prove more meaningful than
solving the age old problem of two trains leaving the station at
the same time; especially for students who may have never seen a
train. The same math and science concepts need to be taught,
through a curriculum based on a meaningful and practical
context. He relayed:
As [an associate from Alaska Pacific University] ...
said: I bring kids in from the outside, give them 2
years and give them a Master's degree, for the same
thing that a thirteen year old coming out of the Bush
already knows, that he learned from his brothers and
sisters, and aunties, and mom and dad. So relevant
curriculum, I think, is going to be very, very
important.
MR. GAMBLE finished, stating that going through the wickets
required to effect this type of change and have it reflected in
the teacher training courses represents a big bold step;
however, taking that step, and not being afraid of it, could
make a huge difference.
10:07:52 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT agreed on the importance of counseling.
He described his straight forward experience, as a graduate of
the UA system receiving minimal counseling assistance, and the
contrasting, difficult journey that his wife experienced.
Today's students have an even more complicated system to
navigate. The recent change in the catalogue has caused
problems for students, and said administrators need to be aware
of how such upgrades affect applicants.
10:10:50 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON noted that advisor funds have been
eliminated, but the task force identified it as a primary need.
He asked where, in the process, the funding was cut and how the
legislature might ensure that it is retained in the future
budget.
MR. GAMBLE said the legislative intent and the support through
the process appeared to be solid, and it remains a mystery to
the university how it was zeroed out. The university will
submit a very tight budget in 2013.
10:14:23 AM
CHAIR DICK thanked the regents and announced the next committee
meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 10:15 a.m.
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